§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for Transport when he next intends to meet the chairman of British Rail to discuss investment in rail projects related to the Channel tunnel, as proposed in the White Paper, Cmnd. 9735; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. David MitchellThe Secretary of State and I meet the chairman of British Rail regularly to discuss matters of mutual interest, including the Channel fixed link. It will be for British Rail to come forward with proposals for investment in services related to the Channel fixed link in the usual way.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he has identified any possible advantages to British exporters occasioned by the completion of the Channel tunnel which will not also be available to British importers.
§ Mr. David MitchellImprovements in communications between the United Kingdom and the Continent necessarily benefit trade in both directions. The fixed link will improve the access of British exporters to the large European market, and offer them increased opportunities to benefit from the economies of scale that are already available to continental manufacturers.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what through Motorail services he expects to be operated by British Rail or the SNCF through the Channel tunnel; and if any agreement related to its operation would prohibit or limit such services;
(2) what consideration he has given to the operation of through daytime passenger trains from centres in the United Kingdom, other than London, to centres on the continent using the proposed Channel tunnel;
(3) what consideration he has given to the operation of through sleeping car services from London and other British cities to destinations on the continent via the proposed Channel tunnel.
§ Mr. David MitchellUndoubtedly the Channel tunnel will provide opportunities for new British Rail services to the Continent, but planning of these services is a matter 379W for British Rail and the continental railway administrations. The terms on which the railway administrations use the Channel Fixed Link is a matter for agreement between them and CTG—France-Manche.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will tabulate the estimated current costs of the improvements and additions to rail and road links to the Channel tunnel terminal as indicated in Cmnd. No. 9735, and give the expected source of funding for each category concerned.
§ Mr. David MitchellBritish Rail estimates that it could need to spend up to around £180 million on railway infrastructure associated with rail services through the Channel fixed link. This will be a commercial operation and it will be for it to raise the money for this investment from its own resources or borrowing and not by way of Government grant. The estimated total cost of the national road improvements, to be funded through the roads vote in the usual way, is £135 million, all of which would have been incurred without a link in order to improve road links to the ferry ports. The cost of improving local road links to the ferry ports. The cost of improving local roads is a matter for Kent county council which will be submitting proposals for transport supplementary grant in due course.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has of the cost of modifying the Folkestone to London railway for passage of conventional railway trains of continental loading gauge; and what consideration he has given to such a modification.
§ Mr. David MitchellIt is for British Rail to propose and make estimates of the costs of, railway investment. It has made no proposals to up-grade the routes from London to the coast to continental gauge.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out in the Official Report the details of the proposed limited improvements to rail facilities between Folkestone and London.
§ Mr. David MitchellBR's initial evaluation included proposals for total expenditure of up to about £35 million on track quality improvements, connections, signalling, clearances and freight loops on the lines between London and the coast.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what is the number, and approximate location, of full rail crossover facilities which he expects to be built within the Channel tunnel;
(2) what is the maximum number of trains of all types that he expects to be permitted to occupy each of the two bores of the Channel tunnel at any one time.
§ Mr. David MitchellAs we explained in the Channel fixed link White Paper (Cmnd. 9735, paragraph 52), a safety authority is being established by the British and French Governments to consider safety aspects of the promoters' plans. The two issues which the hon. Member has raised, along with many others, will be covered by those considerations.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has of the time taken by (a) motor cars and (b) heavy lorries on a journey from London to Paris using (i) the proposed Channel tunnel ferry facility and (ii) hovercraft and ferry, respectively.
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§ Mr. David MitchellThe Channel Tunnel Group-France-Manche estimated in its proposal that, for vehicles using shuttle trains, the transit time through the link itself, including loading, unloading, frontier formalities and average waiting time, will be some 70 minutes as opposed to an average of some 135 minutes for vehicles using hovercraft and ferries on the French straits routes. It is not possible to make precise estimates of London-Paris times by road.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has of the reduction in cost for (a) freight and (b) passengers of crossing the Channel by tunnel rather than by sea ferry.
§ Mr. David MitchellIt will be for the concessionaires to decide on tariff levels for the link, subject to domestic and Community competition law, in the light of the competitive situation prevailing at the time of opening of the link. Channel Tunnel Group-France-Manche envisages that its tariffs will be around 10 per cent. less, in real terms, than today's level of ferry fares, and it has said its policy will be to match the tariffs offered by their major competitors.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Transport what body or person will determine the proportion of available capacity of the proposed Channel tunnel which will be available (a) to ferry trains operated by the Channel Tunnel Group and (b) through trains operated by British and French railways.
§ Mr. David MitchellThis is a matter for agreement by the railway administrations and CTG—France-Manche.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Transport what body or person will determine the differences or equivalence between the tariffs and tolls on the Channel tunnel between traffic conveyed by Channel ferry wagons and through rail services, respectively.
§ Mr. David MitchellI refer the hon. Member to paragraph 4 of the White Paper on the Channel fixed link (Cmnd. 9735). Channel Tunnel Group—France-Manche will enjoy full commercial freedom to determine its commercial policy, including the setting of tariffs for users of the link, subject to domestic and Community competition law. For through trains it will be for British Rail to decide on fare levels in the light of contractual arrangements entered into with CTG—FM for the use of the tunnel.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the expected proportion of capital to be raised by the Channel Tunnel Group and its partners from British, French, and other sources, respectively; and what equivalent representation he expects on the board of the operating company.
§ Mr. David MitchellAlthough the invitation to promoters reserved the right of the Governments to be kept informed of the identity of those who acquired an interest in shares in companies holding the concession, the source of the capital is a commercial matter for the concessionaires. The two Governments have yet to decide whether there should be any requirements as regards the composition of the board of the operating company.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Transport if any provision is planned to determine any 381W maximum or minimum proportions of nationality of persons directly employed on the construction of the proposed Channel tunnel or its associate works.
§ Mr. David MitchellNo such provision is planned.